Food Diary: A Cozy Chinese Eatery 🏮

Pushing open the glass door of this frequented Taiwanese restaurant, I'm greeted by the aroma of food mingled with the lively chatter of diners 😊. The boss was weaving through the tables holding a steaming plate of three-cup king oyster mushrooms, nodding with a smile when he saw a regular customer—this dish is my weekly must-order, with its thick sauce coating hearty mushroom pieces, though occasionally the older mushroom fibers playfully get stuck in my teeth 🦷. By the cash register, the glutinous rice sausage for the "Large Intestine Wrapping Small Intestine" was fried to a crispy fragrance, the braised pork in the Gua Bao glistened with an amber sheen, and the popcorn chicken sat golden and steaming in a basket 🍗. The newly introduced smoked duck was sliced thin as cicada wings, perfectly cut by the special plum sauce. Only the pan-fried baby oysters with cabbage gave me pause—the oysters were tender, but I've never quite acquired a taste for the distinct seafood aroma 🦪. While cleaning a nearby table, the boss suddenly remembered something, smacked his forehead, and hurried over: "So sorry, I forgot you asked for no cilantro!" Honestly, those few leaves on the Gua Bao wouldn't have mattered, but he insisted on remaking it and comped the order 🙏. Seeing people waiting outside, we decided to box up and leave. An auntie in an apron quickly waved her hands: "No rush, take your time! There are benches outside~" Under the warm yellow lights, the boss offered plum juice to those waiting, helped an elderly customer by cutting their popcorn chicken into smaller pieces—every drop of sweat on his temple spoke of his dedication. This place lacks lavish decor, but that hands-on warmth is woven into the sizzle of the wok and the caring laughter 💖. #HomestyleTaiwaneseFood #HeartwarmingService #PopcornChicken #FoodMemories #StLouis #StLouisRestaurantRecommendations